A Change of Heart
by luvtheunderdogs
Summary: After years of pining for the girl, Stiles decides to change his outlook. Will he be able to forget Lydia once and for all?
1. Chapter 1

He was done with it seriously, done with it. Stiles had spent the last ten years or so pining for what he could never have. When it finally seemed like things were going his way with his dream girl after a to die for kiss, he ran into her talking with Aidan. Aidan, seriously girl? What are you thinking? Sure Aidan has the chest, (and he always makes sure to show it), come on, but where's the flavor, the heart, the conversation? It was at the moment, seeing his dream girl braced against her locker eyeing up Aidan like an ice cream stick that Stiles knew it was time to roll on. All that progress he had thought he had built up with Lydia was destroyed.

So, what was he doing at this moment? Walking in the hall playing dodge ball with his eyes. There was no way he could see that creamy white skin, strawberry blonde curls, sweet legs, and plump red lips and not want to follow her scent. How many times had he followed her down this same hall only for her to basically, reject him? When he spotted some dreamy leg, he did what was safe, stare straight ahead, avoid eye contact, and reach for the nearest exit?

There were things that Stiles could avoid like the big one, the lunch table. He would unfortunately have to ditch his friends for a while, but he could still hang out with them, just not when she was around. It wasn't like he hated her, more like the opposite, but to quit a habit you have to surround yourself with other things. There was no way he was going to tell Allison or Scott, they just wouldn't understand or worse they would tell Lydia. It would kill him to get that sympathetic look from her. Just like when he had that panic attack.

Mentally, he began to plan some of the activities that were going to help distract him from his heart. Drums would be an excellent way to keep busy, plus help him with his energy and ADHD. His music had taken to the back burner with all the wolf drama and investigations. With his dad safe, he could now focus on his grades, behavior (no more write ups), and checking out some new territory. There are plenty of fish in the sea, especially since the fish he had been chasing was caught in a different net! Plus, he could join clubs to keep himself busy, maybe, get a job to fix up his jeep.

So, this brother was going to play it safe for a while until the pieces of his broken heart was whole again. The fact is Stiles knew that he was a great catch. His mom when she was at her death bed had told him how special he was and how unique. And, yes, mothers all say that, but he knew that it was true. Sure, he was a nice kid but what was wrong with being nice, wanting one girl, treating her right? Not only was he nice but he was a true and loyal friend. Somebody would appreciate his qualities besides Scott that is. Scott was the only person in his life that really appreciated him especially after "dying" together. They both relied on each other to keep the darkness at bay. With Isaac and Allison becoming a couple, Scott and him could find some girls, hopefully from a different school.

Another thing he was going to do was stop sitting by her in a few of his classes. All those years of not having pride, going out of his way to seek her out, was not happening. It wasn't about being angry or rude; it was just time to move on to hopefully, to bigger and better things. When the bell to English rang, Stiles slid next to a dark haired girl, so quiet, that he never knew her name. The girl looked shell shocked to see him sit next to her. And do you think Lydia even noticed? She didn't even look up from her notebook. Stiles turned to the dark haired girl, with the even darker eyes, and smiled. Her cheeks turned a bright pink. Guess, some girls think I'm blush worthy!

He escaped lunch by signing up to be a tutor. Of course, coach had a quick laugh at that one but Stilinski was no dummy! Plus, earning some cash was another cool incentive. After school, it would be time for job hunting probably at that sweet coffee shop around the corner. Stiles also went to the music teacher to sniff up some bands possibly looking for a drummer. He was going at it, full throttle, but that was okay. Stilinski had never gone at it half way, never. He was an all or nothing kind of guy.

So, after school, Stiles practically ran out of school, got in his jeep, and drove to the café. It was an eclectic sort of place, dark walls, comfy but modern furniture, and really cool staff with piercings and colorful hair. The sort of place that had exotic teas and heart shapes in their coffee with smart looking people, discussing books and movies over their coffees. The owner, Jan, took him to instantly with his jump back humor and sarcastic smile. She said that he reminded her of her grown up son in California. Maybe, just maybe, he could buy that stereo system for his Jeep. Not bad for his first day! And even more exciting, was one of the cooks at the café was looking for a drummer. Sweet!

Things were looking up but to be truly honest, it was bittersweet because he was really missing her. But, he managed to drift off to sleep after watching Star Wars for the umpteenth time. It wasn't a good sleep; however, he had this nightmare that he was walking in this old abandoned house, an eerie house that made your skin literally crawl. In the dream, he kept walking, lost, into the same spot, and at the end of the dream the ground from underneath him opened and swallowed him whole into a sort of vacuum and he couldn't stop it. It was so intense that he woke up his heart beating fast and the alarm reading 2:10 AM. Of course, after that, he couldn't fall asleep. He was exhausted, his head hurt, and there would be no sleep for the rest of the night. But, there was always tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was a pitch black dark with a sleek cold that hung on like second skin. Stiles was walking in a long hallway clattered with intricate cob webs and torn, faded wallpaper. He could barely see a foot ahead of himself and was struggling walking on chewed up carpet that felt like rough grass grazing his bare legs. There was this nagging feeling that there was something he was supposed to find. But, the darkness enclosed him taking the air out of his lungs. He was trapped and panic set in. He gasped for air.

"Stiles, wake up."

The talking seemed to float around him like the feel of a soft breeze.

"Stiles." It felt closer now. A tug on his arm made him gasp.

"Stiles, you are dreaming, wake up!"

One more nudge and his eyes opened painfully. Two greenish-brown eyes gazed at him with concern. "Stiles, are you okay?"

At this point, he was unsure of his surroundings. A quick look around and he realized that he was in English Class and everyone was staring at him, especially Lydia.

He just shook his shoulders and laughed. I mean what else he was going to do without people thinking he was a nut job? This was the third time this week that he had the same nightmare. It was becoming harder and harder for him to shake. Luckily, the bell rang so he could make a hasty escape.

"Stiles, wait up?" He felt her grab his arm.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just been working a lot lately, sleep deprived and all that. I have to get going. Talk to ya later."

There was no way he was hanging around to discuss this with her and like, there was no point, as he needed to move on. Her expression seemed mixed with surprise and hurt but he was very determined to move on. It would sure as hell be a whole lot easier if he could get some sleep though.

Lydia turned to watch Stiles race down the hallway as if to avoid her. He had been doing that a lot lately. As she chewed on her lower lip, it got her thinking. Stiles had not been in his usual places, her locker, their lunch table, Derek's apartment. And what was that nightmare about? His eyes had dark circles and he seemed very edgy. She wasn't sure but something did not seem right. But, the thought left her mind as she ran to catch up to Aidan.

When she finally caught up to Aidan, Lydia demanded a caffeine break. Late night studying for tests had caught up with her. They decided on a café down the road and sat down at a small booth in the back corner. Lydia glanced at the menu searching for an appetizer and type of coffee when she heard a familiar laugh.

When she glanced up, she saw Stiles talking to an older woman. The woman was laughing at Stiles who was trying to balance cups on a serving tray. It was obvious by the women's laughing eyes that she really liked Stiles. It wasn't surprising because Stiles has that crazy sarcastic humor and animated facial expressions. He had on a blue and black plaid shirt, black skinny jeans, and blue converse sneakers with a little apron for tips tied to his waist. She felt him turn and notice her but he didn't say much. She saw him go up to another waitress and whisper something in her ear. A few seconds later, the young girl walked up to their table and waited on them. It was clear to her now that Stiles was definitely avoiding her.

Lydia was annoyed at Stiles for acting so immature. So, she made sure to call him over to their table in front of other customers. Stiles would never be rude and make a scene at someone else's business.

"Could you heat this up a little more?"

Stiles didn't answer but picked up her cup and walked over to the coffee machine. He dumped out the drink and poured a new one. As quick as he could, he set it down at their table and walked away.

"Bad day?" muttered Aidan who seemed to notice as well that Stiles wasn't his good natured self.

Minutes later, Lydia noted that his mood seemed to have improved when he waited on other people. Enough improvement, that the other customers were receiving his jokes and big smile. She was so pissed that she couldn't even focus on her Calculus or Aidan's sexy eyes. What in the hell was wrong with him? He wasn't being mean, but he wasn't being Stiles.

About an hour later, Lydia saw Stiles reach for his sweat jacket hanging on a hook. He gave the older woman a hug and walked out with a dark haired girl and three guys who had a sort of rocker look to them. They were laughing and talking about plans for Friday night. Through the window, Lydia could see Stiles open the passenger door for the dark haired girl who sort of looked familiar and might go to the same high school but she wasn't sure.

Suddenly, Lydia did not feel like studying any more so she asked Aidan to take her home. She felt so sick that she didn't even give Aiden a heavy make-out session like they normally do. She decided that a night of Game of Thrones and popcorn sounded much, much better.

In the meantime, Stiles was happy to be taking Lila home. Lila was the cute, brunette in English Class that he had noticed for the first time that day he decided to not sit by Lydia. Lila even ended up working at the café with him. In fact, one of her brothers, Dylan was the lead singer of the band that he just joined. He might be sleep deprived but they were pretty cool to hang out with. Cool enough, to keep his mind off the certain red head and her stupid boyfriend. When he pulled into Lila's driveway, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and thanked him. It was cute thought Stiles as the redness in her cheeks reappeared.

After backing out of the driveway, he felt that same eerie feeling that he had in his dream. It was pitch dark and the trees stood like wooden soldiers. Spooky enough, to make him break a couple of speeding laws to get home. Luckily, his dad wasn't on duty or any other cop in the vicinity. It was almost painful for him to go home though because he had a feeling it would be another night of restless sleep.

It was Friday and every student was relieved to finally have the weekend after mid-terms. It was going around the school that there was going to be a party at the house of a popular student named Dalton Marciniak. Dalton was a kid who lived in Beacon Hills but attended a prestigious private school about a half an hour away. Just like most kids who have extremely wealthy parents, he spent lots of time at home alone. So, out of boredom, he decided to have a party. His parties were notorious around Beacon Hills for good music, lots of booze, and very good looking participants. Very! Lydia decided to go solo, no Aidan, but with Allison instead. She was able to pull Allison away from Isaac for this special occasion. And they looked good!

Lydia could hear the loud music blaring in the driveway. Dalton lived in a remote, rural area so no one generally called the police. She got out of the car, pulled up her skirt a notch, and fluffed her hair. Allison followed her as they walked up the long driveway to the front porch. There was no need to ring the door. Not that Lydia, ever had to ring the doorbell to make an entrance.

There were many people that Lydia did not recognize. But, there was one person she immediately recognized. It was Scott holding a paper cup. He raised his glass to say hello and turned around to watch the band. Allison did not seem overly excited to see him. They were both still on uncomfortable terms with the Isaac thing. Lydia waved hello and smiled. There was no reason not to be civilized

The band was playing some rock, but more along the lines of pop rock. Lydia recognized that the lead singer was one of the guys that Stiles had walked out with the night that she was at the café.

"Oh, my gosh, Lydia. That is Stiles."  
"What are you talking about?"

Allison looked in shock as she pointed to Stiles playing the drums. Lydia hadn't recognized him because he had on some dark black eyeglasses that made him look very preppy sort of like Superman glasses. He had on a rock concert tee with blue jeans and was smiling as he banged the drums. She was totally shocked to see that Stiles was in a band or could even play a musical instrument.

She walked over to Scott who was still listening to the band.

"I didn't know Stiles could play the drums."

Scott smiled. "There's a lot of things you don't know about Stiles." He smiled again, obviously, very proud of his best friend. "He's pretty good, isn't he?"

Lydia nodded. "Well, I am going to start mingling. Talk soon."

Scott nodded and started conversing with a blonde right next to him. Lydia was in shock. Stiles in a band? When did that happen? And how come she never knew that he played the drums?

The rest of the night went by pretty quickly. Occasionally Lydia would find herself watching Stiles. If he wasn't playing the drums he was in conversation with that brunette again. He seemed happy but still had that sleep deprived look again. His smile was big, his laugh boisterous. And his sloppy do was so cute making him look younger than he actual was. But, he still was ignoring her. She sure as hell wasn't going to let him get to her. So, she went on flirting like crazy that is until she saw Scott leave with the blonde and Stiles with the brunette.

The next day the phone rang nice and early. It wouldn't stop ringing so Lydia finally answered it.

"Hello!"

"Lydia." 

"Yes, Allison?"

"Stiles is missing. He never went home last night."

She felt her lungs cave in her chest. "I'm sure he is okay. Have you called Scott?"

"Scott said that Stiles dropped him home around midnight last night and that Stiles was on his way home, alone."

"Give me a few minutes and I will be on over."

Where was Stiles?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Change of Heart

After brushing her hair, teeth, and putting her hair in a careless bun on the top of her head, Lydia drove over to Allison's house. Scott, Isaac, and Derek were there as well. Scott was pacing the floor very concerned about his best friend.

"He's not the type to not call."

"Are you sure he is not with that Lila girl?" Lydia had to know.

Scott gave her a look. "We are talking about Stiles here. He might be off the wall sometimes but he would never worry his dad or friends." He shrugged. "Plus, I called Lila. Stiles had dropped her off before me."

Derek was concerned as well. "It's weird but I haven't seen Stiles in a couple of weeks. Has there been anything strange going on?"

Lydia paused. "Well, in English class he fell asleep and had a nightmare during class. He seems edgy and I never see him around his normal hangouts. He has huge dark circles under his eyes like he isn't getting any sleep. If I didn't know Stiles any better, I would think drugs."

"There's no way Stiles would do drugs, Lydia," disagreed Allison.

"I'm not saying he is, it's just that he acts like someone on drugs."

Derek seemed to be thinking very hard. "You remember when Deaton said that you guys would struggle with the darkness. Maybe, it has something to do with that. Isaac go see Deaton and see what you can find out. Stiles has always been there for us, and we need to do the same. Scott and I will sniff his scent and go looking for him." Allison handed him Stiles sweatshirt so that Scott and Isaac could get his scent. "Allison and Lydia can search as well."

They decided to search around the area where Stiles was last seen which was by Scott's house. About two miles down the road, Allison spotted Stile's jeep pulled over on the side of the road but covered up by a huge pine. His door was wide open but nothing seemed amiss. Scott and Derek picked up a scent and found some footprints which seemed to be about the size of Stiles' feet.

Lydia was really beginning to get worried. She was starting to fear that they might find another dead body. All four of them were silent and not voicing their fears. They trekked about what must have been ten miles when Scott found a torn piece of a t-shirt. He picked it up, smelled it, and looked at everyone to confirm it was Stiles. Lydia noticed that there were spots that appeared to be blood on the torn piece of clothing. Her heart was beating too fast and she felt the panic going on.

After about another two miles, Derek said, "The scent is getting stronger. Are you sure you girls want to come with us?"

Lydia knew what he really was asking and that was are you sure you can handle it if they find Stiles dead? There was no way that she wouldn't go. She had to know.

Allison suddenly shrieked. "He's over there."

Lydia could barely see the outline of a person. But, sure enough, it was Stiles walking. Scott ran over to him while the girls and Derek soon followed. He looked rough for wear, his t-shirt torn into shreds, his chest bare, and with nothing but the skin he was born in. Tiny scratches were on his face and arms. His hands covered the frontal area. Lydia could not stop staring at him. He was different unclothed than she thought he would be. He actually had muscles, chiseled muscles, and a deep six pack. And his ass, from what she could see was very firm.

"Is anyone going to lend me some clothing?"

Lydia went over to him and handed him a jacket. He grabbed the jacket out of her hands quickly. The instant their hands touched, Lydia felt a searing hotness cascade through her whole body. His brown eyes avoided her but he did mutter a thanks under his breath.

Derek made Stiles sit down for a minute to explain what happened. Scott gave him a drink of water and a leftover Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. He was so exhausted and had dark stubble on his chin that only made him even more sexy, with his bare chest, and muscular legs. "What," thought, Lydia to herself, "did I just think to myself that Stiles is sexy?"

"I don't know what happened, seriously. All I can remember is dropping off Scott and then waking up here in the woods like this. Dude, it's freaking me out! We need to call my dad immediately. He is probably so worried."

Derek took a deep breath. "Something is not right Stiles, you have never slept walk before or had nightmares right?"

"Never."

"Isaac went to go talk to Deaton, Stiles. I think this might have something to do with when he put you under. Anything different going on with you Scott or Allison?" They both replied no at the same time. "Don't worry Stiles, we will figure it out."

Stiles got up and mentioned something about getting to a point where they had a cell signal so they could call his dad. That was so Stiles, worried about everybody else. Lydia wanted to hug him and be reassured that everything was alright.

So, she did. Her hands touched his bare chest when she made contact. Her hand on his chest was hot and charged. For a second, his eyes made contact and molted. She noted his dark eyes, messed up hair, and stubble. He looked like a male model posed for the next morning after a night of hot….wtf was she thinking? His arms did not hug her back and he just shrugged and his eyes avoided her the rest of the walk back to the jeep and her car.

Scott had called Stile's dad and let him talk to him personally. Scott had told the girls that he would drive Stiles and his jeep back to the station and maybe to the hospital to have him checked out. They were all so relieved, especially Scott who could barely contain his happiness that his best friend was safe and sound. The only person who seemed sad was Lydia who did not understand why Stiles was treating her so differently. She could feel it and noticed that he did not seem to be like that with anybody else but her. For now, she would let the matter drop so Stiles could get some well-deserved rest. But, they were going to have a talk and soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Lydia could not believe it. Ever since being lost in the woods, Stiles had even more avoided her. Whenever she tried to approach him, he would either be on his way to do something or he would practically run the other way, or make conversation with a person. His ignoring her was really getting on her every nerve. It also was apparent that he still wasn't sleeping, judging by the dark circles under his eyes and lethargic behavior in class. Lydia brought it up to Allison who just sloughed it off as being busy with working, being in a band, and tutoring.

Deaton said that this sleep problem might take a long time to tackle. He did attribute it to the darkness around Stiles heart. She often wondered if his indifference to her was also caused by the darkness or the new girl Lila, who Stiles seemed to be dating. She was watching them right now at the school dance. Stiles, Scott, Allison, and Isaac were fast dancing along with them. Lila seemed to be shy about dancing but Stiles was encouraging her with his wacky movements.

When the fast tune changed to a slow one, Allison and Stiles started to dance and this was when Lydia decided to make her move. She strutted over to Stiles and Allison and basically lied telling Allison that Isaac wanted to dance (obviously, that part was true). Sneaky as a snake, she slid between them putting her arms around his elbows. Stiles sort of backed up putting countries between them and he did not meet her eyes. But, what really, really, got her angry was when he looked at this watch and said that he had to go. They must have danced only sixty seconds. It was time to get this matter resolved and quickly.

Lydia decided face to face at Stiles home base would be the best bet. He couldn't run from her there, not this late at night. His dad was on thirds so it shouldn't be a problem unless he refused to answer the door. Sure enough, Stiles had left the back door opened so Lydia slipped in. She started calling his name so that he wouldn't think it was an intruder. He was not downstairs so she made the way to his bedroom and knocked.

The door opened and there was Stiles fresh from a shower, clad in a white mini- towel tucked around his waist. His hair was damp, dark, mussed, and she so wanted to run her fingers through it. His pecs were defined and his six pack chiseled. Truly, a beautiful human being, dark, sexy, mysterious.

He raised his eyebrows at her. "What are you doing here?"

Her eyebrows raised back. "We need to talk."

Stiles leaned in to the doorway his upper arm balanced on top of the wall. "So, talk."

She got flustered than, her cheeks red, and a little bit embarrassed. "You seem like you hate me lately."

"I don't hate you Lydia."

"Well, you don't seem to like me either."

He sighed. "Exactly, so figure that one out, Lydia. I don't hate you or like you so what could be the problem there?"

It didn't take a scientist to figure that out. Stiles loves her! But, why has he been so mean lately?

His serious dark eyes with their long lashes closed for a second and opened. He seemed very frustrated. "Lydia, I have been pining for you for ten long years and it's time to move on. You need to let me do that. You have Aidan, before that Jackson, and now I sort of like Lila. And I cannot be around you now it's too hard."

"So, basically all our years of being friends are over just like that?"

"For now, I just need some time."

"This is bullshit Stiles." Her green and brown eyes flashed at him furiously. "Since we can't be friends I know what we can be…

Lydia put her two manicured hands with their pink tips on his bare chest and pushed him back toward his bed. He faltered and was thrown back against the soft cushions. In the process, Stiles was holding on frantically to his towel to keep his manhood in hiding. She was on top of him in a sitting position, peering in his sexy dark eyes. Her fingers ran through his thick, messy mane. He looked shocked almost scared but turned on. Slowly, her head bent down to rest her lips against his. Her pink tongue ran over his dark lips which caused him to moan. The back of her hands went around the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her lips. Then, she kissed him with every ounce of passion she could. She went a little crazy for a while teetering over the edge, than she remembered it was Stiles. Stiles wasn't some random guy, a toss in the sheet, he was Styles, classy, silly, important.

She began to soften the kisses and started to touch him softly, his chest, his face, his soft hands. No, there wouldn't be sex tonight, Stiles was too important to her for that. Not that he wasn't a quick study; he was making her feel so wanted, out of control. It was truly out of the world for her, because being with Stiles meant something not like Aidan who was more of a boy toy. He deserved the cake, the flowers, the love, the perfection. But right now, he was hers.

When it got to that point of no return, Lydia stopped and instead turned her back to his and put his arms around her. Stiles sighed but pulled her close until they drifted to sleep. It was some time around 3:00 AM that she was awakened by Stiles who was moving frantically in his sleep. His arms and legs were kicking out wildly and he seemed to be talking but she couldn't make out the words. She tried to soothe him and wake him up. But to no avail! His chest started to cave outward and Lydia could see that he was inches off the bed. His body began to turn, heading for the ceiling. She stood on the bed quickly and started to pull him down. It took every ounce of strength to do so. Eventually it worked as Stiles ended up back on the bed sleeping but breathing unsteady. There was something serious going on with Stiles, supernatural just like it had with Jackson. She would need to get to the others to investigate. No way, was she going to let something happen to Stiles, never!


	5. Chapter 5

Lydia was in complete and utter shock about the events that transpired the night before. In the early hours of the morning, she found herself warm, fuzzy, and confused as hell. She was also very frightened for Stiles because it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out something very supernatural was going on. What would have happened if she hadn't been there?

Lydia decided to call a meeting about Stiles with Allison, Scott, Derek, and Deaton. It would be crucial for them to watch Stiles sleep to pinpoint the problem. She might not care to admit it but there was no way she was going to sit idle and let something happen to Stiles. But, how can you deal with it if you can't even admit it?

There was something about Stiles that made him unforgettable. Was it that unbelievable sense of sarcasm nixed with humor? Or his obsessive way of getting on a subject and exhausting it?It used to be the Jackson's of the world that made her swoon. Now, she was clearly enamored with Stiles and it was deep. Scary deep.

When Lydia walked into Deaton's clinic, Scott gave her a huge grin, which really embarrassed Lydia because Scott was a major hormone tracker. So, he probably knew what had happened between her and Stiles. Allison didn't even know! Stiles was too busy looking at his own feet to even notice.

The next few hours everyone was tortured listening to Stiles rattle on about Star Wars, in between bites of popcorn. Eventually, he drifted off to sleep. The first three hours of sleep were monotonous but that would soon change. First, his eyelids started to twitch, than his mouth moved like it was talking. Gradually, his body turned side to side in a restless, disturbed pattern. Scott stood up on high alert when Stiles stomach started to go outward and his back lifted mere inches off the bed. His face was an unnatural shade of green and his skin dotted in sweat. Lydia was about to pull him back but knew the pack had to see the full extent of the problem. It took every inch of her to not hold him in her arms.

The worst was yet to come when Stiles started screaming and moving his head and arms, as if he was fighting another being inside him. Deaton was so focused, scribbling notes on a white pad. Derek looked like he was prepared to fight at any moment. Scott handed her a wet towel to cool his temperature.

The wetness of the washcloth and smoothness of Lydia's skin seemed to relax him somewhat.

"What do you think is going on, Deaton?"

"It is obviously some sort of darkness trying to invade his body." His eyes were full of concern. "I'm going to try to draw it out."

Deaton darkened the room and lit a few candles. He opened an old dust covered leather book and repeated some words in a language that she had never heard.

Immediately Stiles sat up his eyes opened. There was coldness in those eyes something so cold that Lydia felt herself shiver. A concoction of words in another language came out in an accent dripped with menace and pure evil. The creature, whatever it was it definitely was not Stiles let out a horrid scream than an awful laugh. His body started to convulse, horribly out-of-control. It was at that moment that Lydia decided enough was enough. She whipped on top of him, pinning herself relentlessly against his frenzied movements. Scott quickly intervened but by the time he had control of the situation Lydia has passed out on top of Stiles from pure exhaustion.

Deaton checked both of their pulses and vital signs. After checking them thoroughly, he told the others that whatever had entered Stiles was gone (for the moment anyway). Lydia's connection to Stiles had been the exiting factor.

Stiles woke up feeling a dead weight on top of his body, not heavy, just a closeness pressed against him. He lifted his head and spotted a strand of golden red hair. Lydia was on top of him, with her arms around his neck. She looked completely exhausted, her hair tangled, clothing in disarray, and her mascara in small runs down her face. For a second he reveled in her closeness, smelling her scent, holding her close. There was no way he was going to forget her now. Especially, after the night before, when her lips met his with a passion that was ginormous. And now with her heart beating against his chest, it would be a cold day in hell before he would let her go. She was his, plain and simple.

Scott and Deaton entered the room minutes later. Scott was beaming at the sight of his best friend and Lydia. After all, how many times did he hear Stiles mutter her name in unrequited teenage love?

"She really fought for you man." Scott smiled again.

Deaton explained further. "Lydia jumped on top of you trying to stop your body from convulsing. She's one tough little lady."

"So, what's going on with me anyway?"

Deaton and Scott shrugged. "I'm not sure what it is but whatever it is it's trying to take over your body. We will figure it out Stiles, I promise you."

"We'll, guys, I am going to do what any American male would do in this situation." He looked down at Lydia and smiled. "So, see you later."

The guys laughed and exited. Not that he wasn't scared out of his mind for his safety, but he was going to treasure this quiet time with Lydia. She wasn't running from him. She was in his arms where she always belonged...since that moment he saw little red pigtails on a trike.

He felt her stir, raise her head up slightly, until her vibrant green specs saw his warm brown eyes. Her hair was plastered to her head and she was still the most beautiful thing to him on the planet. Gently, he pulled her by the elbows so that he could give her a gentle kiss. His lips touched down gently, than two more times, soft feather light kisses, than a firmer one. But when Lydia ran her fingers through his hair, their kisses became more urgent, needy. Stiles was going crazy especially when she arched her body towards his. It wasn't the right time, she was exhausted and so was he. And he had something to do tomorrow at school.

The next day, Stiles was freshly showered and dressed sharp. He walked down the hall by Aidan's locker confidently. He reached for his claim, a beautiful red haired flame, pulled her to him, and gave her one hell of a kiss. When he finally set her down, she was in a complete and utter daze, as we're all the spectators. He gave her his best smile, sexy and confident, than gave Aidan a territorial look. Stiles never liked leftovers and wasn't going to be sharing her with anyone. Despite something trying to take over his body, he was feeling pretty damn good!


	6. Chapter 6

There was a bright light flickering on and off, a cold, wet grayish concrete floor, and the sound of leaking water. The floor felt cold on his bare feet. He was so tired but the light was beckoning him to follow. He felt himself going up some steps, one at a time. His steps felt heavy, as he was so sore, so exhausted. The movements were almost methodical. There was something up ahead. A gust of wind hit leaving him winded but the urge to continue pressed on. A sound kept persisting in the background, almost like it was traveling behind him. He felt his footing slip.

Lydia was getting overly concerned that Stiles hadn't got back from his long bathroom break. The English teacher's voice droned on. Where was he? She could feel this dreadful feeling down her spine and felt the need to react. With a quick raise of her hand, she was out in the hallway running frantically.

Her steps increased. Doors to unused rooms were carelessly opened, a quick run to the boys bathroom revealing a sly couple making out in a stall, the gymnasium, weight room. Her heart started to palpitate. Some sort of foreboding told her instinctively to go up on the roof. She wasted no time running up the creaky wooden steps to the steel door. Her eyes scanned the roof looking for any sign of him. He has to be somewhere.

A quick glance to the left and there he was walking with his eyes closed, near the tip of the roof. A couple of steps and ...she didn't even want to contemplate that. So, she was like a runner on third base, sliding and pulling him backward, his body resting on hers. Her arms held him tight as he squirmed to get out. That is until he finally woke up.

His eyes were confused but he shook his head like he soon figured what had happened. A large gust of wind covered him but he felt warm in her arms. He could have died and this beautiful angel, his angel, had saved him. There were no words between them, just his hands clasped in hers as they walked back to class. I mean crazy, here he is almost dying, and they are on their way back to class. But, ever since Scott had been bitten that's been the way it is, crazy life.

Stiles felt this insane urgency to do something, like a dying person's last wish. The wheels in his head started to plan...he would need to talk to Scott, Allison, and his dad. Well, maybe his dad. His dad believed him now but would never let Stiles risk his life. Sometimes a guy had to stop playing it safe!

After squeezing a few minutes with Scott and Allison between fifth and sixth hour, Stiles had Scott's keys and a plan intact. He would leave school sixth hour and be back by the end of seventh hour. His plan would include calling his dad and telling him he would be at Scott's house for the night. Allison would have Lydia call her mother to say she would be staying at Allison's house. The key factor, the most crucial, was Lydia not knowing what Stiles had planned.

At the end of seventh hour, Lydia was really curious about what was going on. She was prepared to go to Deaton's or Derek's place, but wasn't expecting Stiles, with his signature grin, in dark sunglasses, a brown bomber jacket, converse sneakers, and a back pack strewn casually on his back.

He lowered the glasses a bit and posed a challenge. "Are you ready?"

With his eyebrows arched and dazzling smile, she found him delicious and was shocked that it had taken her so long to notice. Despite her short skirt she climbed over the cycle, putting her arms around his waist, and pressed her face to his back. The dark cloud of Beacon Hills seemed to fade the further they drove away.

Stiles veered the cycle toward a dirt road, in an area covered in trees. About ten miles or so down the road, he turned into a stone driveway, revealing a small hunting cabin, with a screened in porch. After securing the bike, he helped her get off. He grabbed his backpack and led her into the cabin which had a small kitchen area, breakfast nook, a comfy green and blue plaid sofa sleeper, and a stone fireplace with a hunting rifle displayed above it.

"It's my late grandfathers." He set his backpack down on the table and started rummaging through it. "Are you hungry?"

"Sure."

Stiles continued rummaging through his back pack, taking out tomato paste, Parmesan cheese, and manicotti. After boiling the noodles, he threw in spices, cheese, and sauce into the oven.

Lydia smiled at him. "You had planned this."

He leaned over to her and gave her a quick kiss. "Now, I'm the smart one."

After baking the pasta and some breadsticks, Stiles opened a bottle of sparkling cider. He lit two very old ancient looking candleholders. He also made her laugh when he made an bow tie with his napkin. So Stiles. But, he had surprised her with how well he good cook. The thing was lately, he always seemed to be surprising her. An awful lot, in fact.

"We'll, that now everything is cleaned up, may I have this dance?"

His eyes literally sparkled at her and she was touched and well, speechless. No one had ever been so romantic with her. "But, first let me light the fireplace."

After lighting the fireplace and finding some old music cassettes, Stiles motioned for her to come closer. Her cheeks felt flushed but she made it over to him. He reached for her hand, held it, and brought it to his lips.

His dark eyes probed. "Come here." She complied but he brought her even closer, his hands running through her hair, inhaling everything that was Lydia.

Otis Redding's song, obviously his Grandpa's, was playing, "Try a Little Tenderness." Her hands spiraled around his neck, clasped together, and her eyes fixated on his. But, was really affected her was when he gave her his beautiful smile, that beautiful smile that was so Stiles, steadfast and true. She knew than...simple really.

She brought her hand to his chin and lightly smiled. "I love you Stiles."

He could only stare. Obviously, he thought that she had something for him but LOVE? He started to speak but she placed her finger over his lips silencing him.

A small tear ran down her face. "I have been so guarded with my heart." Her eyes looked down for a minute. "It was easier to avoid anything real, anything important."

"There's so much about you I love Stiles...your smile, the way you look at me, how you manage to make me laugh even when I don' t want to, and even how you ramble. And you are so sexy, incredibly so."

The last part of his plan was intact. Stiles walked over to his backpack and grabbed a circular container. Gently, he opened the lid and started to throw pink and red rose petals all the way by the couch, close to the fireplace.

Lydia and Stiles met halfway their eyes glued to each other. Lydia pulled him against her, pulling him by the waist. For a second, their lips barely made contact but Stiles placed a gentle kiss on her lips as he walked her over to the couch, leaning her into the soft cushions, the air toasty and warm from the fire and of course, Stiles.

What can a person say, when they cannot get enough, and have a need so great that everything else precedes it? Her hands brushed his brown strands, the corners of his lips, the point of his chin, the beating of his heart. Before she knew it, he was on top, holding her tight, and she held him like it was the last day of her life.

For him, it was finally getting his dream, but laced with a reality that was even better. He clasped her fingers looking into her eyes. "I love you."

He noticed her soft tears so he kissed them, bringing her a sea of happiness.

"Stiles, I need...

He didn't need an explanation. It was their night.


	7. Chapter 7

His eyes were full of wonder as he watched her sleep in his arms. He almost wanted to wake her so that he could crack a joke or two or bench out some intelligent theories that only she was smart enough to challenge. Or better yet, his arms could gather her up and kiss her senseless. She was his addiction. And he wanted her, now, and always. Simple really.

Stiles was so tired as he wouldn't let himself sleep after all the crazy things he had done while sleeping. But at least, his dream girl was in his arms. Lydia stirred beneath him the rapid movement keeping him from sleeping. More than anything, if he could, they would be two normal teenagers, getting ready for a Friday night date. But, would there even be a Stydia if it wasn't for the supernatural? After this craziness was taken care of, he was determined to make their relationship as normal as could be. It would be great to have a game night, a movie date, prom...he so wanted all that with her and plenty of kisses. Everything.

A swift, wind entered out of nowhere knocking him almost senseless. His lips were numb as he started to shiver. A small, minute swirling hole appeared. It was like watching a fallen star in 3d. Stiles was transfixed, as the hole appeared bigger and swirled, heading straight for him. His fingers grasped the bed as he felt his body being tugged toward the swirling mass.

"Lydia, wake up!"

Instantly, Lydia awoke to the blast of cold wind. She was alarmed when she spotted the black swirling mass towards them. Instinctively, she reached for Stiles, pulling at the legs of his jeans. Her hands were slipping but she would not let go.

"Stiles, hold on, don't let it win... Fight!"

With a swift turn around, Stiles grabbed her hand and pulled her off the couch. They ran towards the table where Stiles grabbed for the keys. Behind him, the sounds of furniture crashing encouraged him to move forward. His hands guided Lydia to the motorcycle. Quickly, they sped off. Lydia forced herself to look behind, what she saw scared her even more. Huge expanding clouds seemed to be following them back into Beacon Hills. The wind was making it hard to steady the bike. Then, huge torrents of rain hit the pavements. The winds felt like a vacuum, ready to take them away. Her hands held tightly to his waist, refusing to let go.

The motorcycle begun to shake and veer off the road from the heavy wind. It was so scary, but nothing compared to what she would feel if something happened to Stiles. It was obvious he was headed to Scott's house. He expertly managed to dodge the swinging tree branches torn from the trees. It made her think of Stiles being torn from her. She started to shiver at the thought.

Stiles barely managed to pull in the driveway when they were greeted by the sight of a haggard looking Allison and Scott who were on their way to get them. Their hair was wind blown and they were both shivering and wet.

"Something is going on, serious," said Scott.

The black night even got darker if possible and the wind formed what looked like a tornado.

Stiles grabbed the shivering, wet Lydia, pulled her next to his body and gave her a firm, deep kiss. She was definitely in shock and the kiss seemed to pull her out of it. Allison motioned for them to follow her in Scott's house. They ran in the house, down the stairs to the cellar door, and shut the door. Scott latched it in, locking it. All four of them were huddled on the floor. A pounding from outside banged the door. A second it stopped than continued, pounding furiously. The door gave and a blunt object hit Stiles knocking him flat on the ground.

"Oh, my God, Stiles, are you okay?" She touched his forehead feeling a warm, wet liquid and no sound came from his lips. She felt for his wrist, a slow but steady pulse was there. Thank goodness. She turned her head towards the dark challenging it. Whatever it was, she was going to face it. No way in hell was it going to do any more damage to Stiles.

The swirling wind suddenly stopped at her feet. It swept up from her feet to over her head. A human form began to take shape. Lydia heard Allison gasp as they both recognized the familiar face now visible to their eyes.

Jackson, it was Jackson, the whole time.


	8. Chapter 8

She stood, her back pressed against the wall, in complete and utter shock.

"What are you doing here Jackson?" She had to ask.

He smiled his toothpaste ad smile and it was irritating. "Are you the one disturbing Stiles?"

His smile seemed to widen more. "Why would you care?"

Lydia gave him a stare. She spread her arms out and stood in front of Stiles. If he wanted a battle, he would get one.

"Wait, you can't be serious, you have feelings for the nerd boy?"

"Yes, Jackson, I do, in fact I am in love with him."

Allison and Scott gasped while Jackson seemed to be turning very red. Lydia stared at Jackson, like an artist looks at a painting to see if it's a counterfeit. Something was nagging at her big IQ. She stared at the black wall where Jackson stood. The blackness, for some reason, resonated with her. Deaton had mentioned the darkness surrounding their hearts that would happen after they died, than it hit her.

"You know Jackson, I never really loved you." She made herself laugh. Jackson's face seemed to contort it's shape after her statement. He was furious.

Lydia motioned for Scott and Allison to stand next to her. She joined their hands with hers. With a quick step, she stepped forward closer to Jackson.

"See the problem for you is Stiles is very much loved by all of us. And the next problem is that your not really Jackson."

At the end of her statement, Jackson's face was already gone, replaced with an evil aberration, with swirling mounds of black smoke. The thing, whatever it is, was hissing, and the darkness that was trying to take over Stiles. But, it had not bargained on the strength in love of Lydia, Allison, and Scott for Stiles. He was their comedian, best-friend, and for Lydia, her one true love.

"You can't have him because together we can beat any darkness."

The huge gusts of winds blew out quickly, like a fast blowing firework and then it disappeared. Lydia turned to her friends and bent down checking the cut on Stiles' forehead. Allison bent down as well and checked his pulse. Scott laid his head over Stiles' heart, checking his best friend's heartbeat. He glanced up at Lydia and smiled as if to say everything seemed okay. Yet, it wasn't okay for Lydia because Stiles was not waking up.

So, they drove him to the hospital. Scott broke the driver's side window and dented up Stiles' jeep to avoid any sticky questions. Lydia remained fiercely and steadfastly by his side, never pausing to do anything for herself. Scott gave her a reassuring pat on the back, while Allison did her best to keep up idle conversation but none of it was working, she only wanted Stiles to be okay, to hear him laugh, ramble on aimlessly, and to hold her in his arms.

The interns immediately rushed him to the ICU due to the head injury. They were only going to let his dad in but with one look at Lydia's tear stained face, all of them including Stiles' dad, backed off. She waited while they did a cat scan and MRI, and watched as the neurologist took notes and did some tests of his own. And when the coast was clear, she would lay next to his side and hold him, stroking his messy hair, whispering all the things she hoped to one day say to him while he was awake.

It was a long week but ironically, Lydia was like the Stiles that had remained at her bedside while she was in the hospital. They had only switched roles and this time it was her doing the waiting. The only time she left was to take a quick shower after Scott point-blankly told her that she was stinking up the room.

But at night, when the staffing was not as efficient, Lydia would hold his hand, kiss his face, and feel his heartbeat. The tears would not stop.

"You know Stiles, I really thought I loved Jackson, but now I know I never really did. I never have told you how much I admire you...the way you can talk to anybody, how you are never afraid to be who you are, how much your loyalty to all of us means, and how gifted and smart you really are." Her hands stroked his face. "And you are so beautiful, I love the way your face lights up when you look at me. You have changed my heart in every single way imaginable. We have so much left to do, prom, graduation, college, so much left to do together."

A tear drifted down her cheek. "And I need you so please come back to me."

She felt his eyelids flutter against her fingertip. And the most unbelievable thing happened, his eyes opened. Lydia was so happy to see his gorgeous brown eyes, that she didn't recognize the mass confusion on his face.

Stiles did not know where he was or the redhead by his side that seemed to be very concerned about him. She was beautiful that was for sure, but he had no recollection of who she was. All he knew, that he had an exploding headache.

"Head hurts," he mumbled.

The redhead kissed his bandaged forehead and exclaimed, "Oh, my God, Stiles you are awake!" Than the redhead went crazy, kissing him all over the face. And if it wasn't for the headache he would be all over it.

For some reason, Lydia finally noticed that Stiles was acting differently. "What's wrong Stiles?"

He had to ask. "Who are you?" His eyes were serious. " I don't know who you are."

Lydia froze instantly than ran to get the nurse. Stiles did not know who she was. The implication of this hit her very hard as she ran to his dad and hugged him, sobbing. "He is awake and he doesn't know who I am."

Minutes later, it was confirmed that Scott recognized Allison, Scott, and his dad, everyone but her. It was painful to watch. But, when Stiles fell asleep again Lydia heard him murmur something about a heart and she knew that she was in there somewhere. It was just the darkness again trying to keep them apart but she wouldn't let it.

Every day eventually became a ritual for Lydia as she nursed him back to health and told him stories. Months later, it turned to walking him to classes, being ever so patient to win back his love. Not that she didn't want to grab his hand, push him against the locker, and plant one on him. It was torture not to hold him and kiss that sexy smile, actually painful. In so many ways their roles were reversed, with her doing the chasing. And she was having a hard time because that brunette girl was still trying to make her moves on Stiles.

Yet the memory of the cabin sustained her, the day they kissed forever, and he had told her he loved her and she him. It was what she held onto for sanity sake. Someday his heart would open and everything would change and she would wait, always wait for him. For his heart to change.

(Not complete yet guys! Thanks for the comments and for being patient school keeps me busy. I am an utter fool, who is hopelessly romantic, those damn blasted romance books lol!)


	9. Chapter 9

**(P.S. I'm referencing lyrics from two songs by Gabrielle Aplin-Start of Time and Please Don't Say You Love Me". After watching Lydia and Stiles and hearing their amazing song, I listened to some more of her songs- wonderful. )**

His reflection peered back at him and he looked good. A dollop of some styling gel and he had his signature do. His hair, fresh from the shower was slick and jet black. He even had a shade of tan from some yard work his dad made him do to earn money for the limousine. His collar was up as he wrapped the tie around his collar. He had on a white dress shirt, black and white striped vest and tie, with a black tux. Stiles knew he should feel something but all he felt was numb.

_**"I'm an atom in a sea of nothing"**_

Of course, he would have been an absolute jerk if he hadn't asked her to prom; she nursed him back to health! Not to mention she was beautiful, smart, patient, and he thought to himself probably out of his league at one time. So, he asked her and she accepted with a gleam of hope in her lovely green eyes framed with perfect black lashes. So perfect, but unfortunately not perfect enough for him to remember her. At least Scott would be along for the ride, which at least was a comfort to him, his best friend in the whole world!

The doorbell rang so he doused some cologne and straightened his tie. His posture was perfect, so perfect, and he looked like a tall model on GQ. The last few months, Stiles had even become more handsome, growing into his own skin, his grandparents had remarked. His hand opened the door and he was greeted by Scott's cheesy grin. Of course, he ended up laughing, until he saw Lydia, in her white dress that was cinched in at the waist, with a satin strap tied around her neck. The back of her dress was open in the back revealing her creamy white skin. Her hair was down with soft beach waves and natural highlights of red and gold. His chest tightened.

"_**When you walked into the room just then**_

_**It's like the sun came out"**_

For some reason, Stiles had an impulse to walk over to the kitchen table and grab a daisy out of a vase. Then, he walked over to her and tucked a strand of her long hair behind her ear along with the daisy. Her green eyes flashed with joy. He saw her flash of hope and felt guilty.

"_**Just please don't say you love me**_

_**'Cause I might not say it back**_

_**Doesn't mean my heart stops skipping when you look at me like that**_

_**There's no need to worry when you see just where we're at**_

_**Just please don't say you love me**_

_**'Cause I might not say it back"**_

On the drive to the school dance, all four of them opened the moon roof in the limo, stood up, and raised their hands in the air. It felt like pure freedom, a reprieve from the everyday. Stiles even managed to make some one was hopeful because 1) Stiles' sarcastic humor was back, 2) he tucked a flower behind her ear, an old signature Stiles' move for sure, and 3) she had even glimpsed a look of desire when he had spotted her in her prom dress.

The prom dance and meal was pretty nice and they all managed to dance and enjoy some nice conversation with friends. That is until Lydia, looked at him with her gorgeous green pools and shyly asked him if he wanted to go to her house and told him specifically that her parents were out of town. Of course he did, and probably not for the right reasons. Not for the right reasons she probably wanted. But, he went any way.

They rode back to her house in his jeep as Allison and Scott had some alone time planned. The whole situation with Stiles had brought them two back together. As soon as the lovebirds were dropped off, Lydia and Stiles remained quiet both lost in their thoughts about what was going to happen next.

Stiles pulled into her driveway, got out of the car, and opened the door for her. Her hand was shaky as she put the key into the lock and turned the door. She gave him a glass of ice water and led him by hand up the stairs to her bedroom. He made sure to sit down in the chair by her desk. Lydia turned on her radio; thumbed through some CD's, chose one, put it in, and turned towards him smiling.

"Want to dance with me?" She was acting sort of shy. "I didn't really like the music they played at the dance," she explained.

He stood up tall and handsome, so much that Lydia almost winced. His eyes were dark coals, hot and molten at the same time. Stiles did not smile but wasted no time either as his hand slid around her slender waist bringing her against his firm chest. Her tiny hands slid up his chest, and finally, resting by his upper chest. Her face lay against his chest. She made sure to put her hand over his beating heart. After all, wasn't it the darkness there that caused all the problems. If only she could operate!

Stiles could not believe how tiny her waist was, an almost outright contrast to the voluptuous upper half which he was made very aware of with her dainty prom dress and her body against his. He didn't know how he could bare it when every part of him seemed to be coming alive with her touch. The music was soft, subtle, and very romantic. So, he chose to let himself savor a dance with the beautiful red head. His lips were aching as he wanted to kiss her so badly.

They swayed to the music and the dark night which was dotted full of stars, clearly visible in her bedroom window. It was until he felt his chest wet with her tiny tears that he looked in her unbelievably green eyes and saw such emotion that he clearly saw how much she loved him. Seeing him look at her was disconcerting, because he literally took her breath away. But what hurt the most was the recognition that his eyes did not truly look at her the way they did before when he was in love with her for real.

Her hand raised and caressed his soft cheek. She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on his lips. He breathed in sharply, letting his hands run down the delicate undersides of her arm. When he got to her elbows, he pulled her up to him and gave in to his desires. She kissed him so deeply and passionately back.

What truly shocked him was when her fingers started unbuttoning his vest, untying his tie, and finally, his shirt in between all the kisses. He was her beautiful dark angel, perfectly muscled. But, she had another idea for him.

She guided him to the bed and laid her body on top of his as she made sure to place her own beating heart on top of his heart. And then she enjoyed touching, holding, breathing in, his every fiber.

"_**There used to be an empty space**_

_**A photograph without a face**_

_**But with your presence, and your grace**_

_**Everything falls into place**_

_**Maybe it could be the start of something"**_

Stiles was assailed with such emotions, almost in overdrive, when he realized he felt different. And it dawned on him...

"Lydia, I remember."


End file.
